1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a unit for storing a demountable roof panel, and more particularly to improvements in a unit for storing a demountable roof panel, wherein movements of the roof panel is controlled by a roof panel fixing device, with which one end edge of the demountable roof panel is engaged, and a roof panel holding device, with which the other end edge of the roof panel is engaged, to thereby store the roof panel in a storing space of a motor vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past, a demountable roof (sun roof) has been constructed such that the roof panel is demounted from a roof of a motor vehicle and stored in a case or the like and rested on a rear deck or a rear seat or fixed by use of a belt to the rear deck or the rear seat so as not to move during running of the vehicle. However, in either case, since the roof panel thus demounted is placed in a compartment of the vehicle, such a problem has been presented that the roof panel interferes with an occupant during his getting on or off the vehicle and luggages during loading or unloading. Furthermore, in fixing the roof panel by a belt, disadvantageously, the roof panel is not positively fixed and the reliability of fixing is low.
To obviate the above-described disadvantages, in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Nos. 65120/1985 and 65122/1985, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the applicant proposes a roof panel storing unit including a roof panel fixing device 4 having a stay 3, into which a mounting hinge 2 or a mounting bracket is inserted and fixed, and a holding device 6 for holding and fixing a lock handle 5 of the roof panel 1, which is provided at an end edge opposite to the mounting hinge 2 of the roof panel 1, whereby the roof panel 1 is held and stored in a luggage room 7 of a motor vehicle M. Additionally, designated at 4A in the drawing is an engageable portion, with which the mounting hinge 2 of the roof panel 1 is coupled and engaged, and 4B a shock absorbing member made of rubber or synthetic resin, for preventing an inner panel of the roof panel 1 from being directly abutted against the stay 3 and damaged.
However, the stay 3 of the fixing device 4 in the above proposal is of a fixed type and projects into a luggage room 7, and, when the fixing device 4 is secured to a lower back reinforcement at the rear portion of a rear deck, such a disadvantage is presented that the projected stay 3 interferes with the loading or unloading of luggages and the volume of the luggage room 7 is decreased.
To obviate the above-described disadvantage, there may be a case where the roof panel fixing device consists of a support and a stay, and the stay is rotatably connected to the support, whereby the roof panel fixing device as a whole is made foldable.
More specifically, there may be the case where the roof panel fixing device includes: a support mounted to the inner peripheral wall of the storing space; a stay pivoted to be rotatable about a rotary shaft horizontally provided on the support within a scope from a retracted position where said stay is substantially closely attached to the inner peripheral wall of the storing space to a position where the stay projects into the storing space from the retracted position, and engageable with one end edge of the demountable roof panel; an engaging rod provided on the support in a manner to be movable and resiliently urged toward a rotary shaft of the stay; a first engageable hole formed on the outer periphery of an insertion portion for receiving the rotary shaft of the stay and engaged with the forward end portion of the engaging rod when the stay reaches a position where the stay is engaged with the demountable roof panel; and a second engageable hole, with which the forward end portion of the engaging rod is engaged when the stay is folded and comes to be along the inner peripheral wall of the storing space.
In this arrangement, when the stay is stored, a control knob connected to the stay is pulled up and the engagement between the engaging rod and the engageable hole is released to rotate the stay. As a consequence, since the operation of pulling up the control knob for releasing the engagement and the operation of rotating the stay are needed, such disadvantages are presented that much labor is needed and the demountable roof panel fixing device cannot be easily operated in one-touch manner.
Additionally, as shown in FIG. 13, the holding unit 6 includes: a base 6A fixed to the inner peripheral wall of a luggage room 7 through a bolt, not shown, so as to clamp the lock handle 5 of the roof panel,; a sheet spring-shaped arm 6C opposed to the bottom of the base 6A and rotatably connected to on one end portion of the base 6A in the widthwise direction through a pin 6B, for clamping the lock handle 5 in cooperation with the base 6A; and a handle 6E rotatably connected to the other end portion of the base 6A in the widthwise direction through a pin 6B, for holding the arm 6C in the locked state. As a consequence, in order to store the roof panel 1 in the luggage room 7, it is necessary to hold the lock handle 5 of the roof panel 1 in the locked state by the handle 6E, whereby locking operation by the handle 6E is needed. Because of this, such a problem is raised that the roof panel 1 cannot be easily stored in one-touch manner.